


Mechanics of Love

by DarkenedHeart



Series: Changing Gears [1]
Category: Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe: Human, Another way to fall in love., Boy Central, Car Accident, Hero!Alec, I haven't decided yet., I need SO MUCH sleep...., Isabelle and Jace are still Alec's Siblings, M/M, Malec, Mechanic Alec, Not sure what Magnus is yet., Unsure Alec, human world - Freeform, hurt!Magnus, zzzz
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-07
Updated: 2016-10-07
Packaged: 2018-08-19 23:57:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8229142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkenedHeart/pseuds/DarkenedHeart
Summary: The Title is actually better than the story.Alec is a mechanic, content to work in his personal shop in the country.Then Magnus comes crashing (literally) into his life.





	

Alec Lightwood was a brilliant mechanic, at least his brother and sister say so. He lived in a little white house next to a dead end street, purposely away from the busy life of the city. Across his driveway was a red barn which was really his mechanics garage. Outside the building there was a square sign with his name and occupation in red against a white background with his house phone number in black underneath. He mostly got locals and repaired more lawn mowers than cars, but it was simple and easy and put food on the table and kept the electricity on, so he didn't complain. 

His siblings, Isabelle and Jace, kept to the busy city life. 'Izzy' was a fashion mogul, taking the world by storm with her daring designs and even more daring relationships. Jace was a little more subtle about his personal life, but he owned a well known security company and there was always a rumor about who he was 'in bed with' every week. This week, it was his red head secretary, Clary Fray. 

Alec shakes his head as he folds the magazine his siblings paid to have sent to him. He tosses it in the recycle bin on his way over to the barn to open it up for the day. The sun was out against the clear, bright blue skies but the wind blew cold against his face, making him shrug deeper into his jacket. 

A loud screech followed by a horrible crunching sound has him pulling his hand away from the barn door and turning to the origin of the noise. Across the street, the front end of an expensive sports car is wrapped around an electric pole. Alec is already pulling out his cell as he runs to the vehicle. 

One of the wires of the pole is hanging dangerously, as if it might give way and fall to the vehicle at any moment. If it does that, the electricity flowing through it will follow along the metal of the vehicle and kill the driver inside.

"9-1-1, what is your emergency?" the operator answers as Alec tries for the handle. It's locked, of course and he growls as he slams his fist against the window to get the drivers attention. "Sir?"

"Yeah, I'm at Lawrence Avenue in Gidney. A man just drove into a light pole. A wire looks like it's going to fall and he isn't moving inside. I need help now!"

"Sir, I need you to remain at a safe distance. If the line falls, you could be injured."

"If it falls, the driver will be dead!" Alec shouts out, looking around desperately until he finds what he's looking for; a large rock. 

"Please, remain calm," the operator sounds more annoyed than anything else. "Emergency services are on their way. Please step away from the vehicle and stay out of the way until they can reach your location."

The wire sparks loudly, making Alec flinch and almost drop his phone.

"There's not time!" Alec hangs up and pockets the device. He'll need both his hands to carry the man out. He breaks the smaller back seat door to prevent the driver from being cut up with the glass. He drops the rock when he makes enough room for his arm and reaches over with his long arms, thanking genetics for once because of their ridiculous length, and manages to manually unlock the door.

Once it's unlocked, Alec pulls his arm out as fast as he can and rips the door open. The man inside is out, head bloody. He is also wearing more makeup than Alec has ever seen on his sister, let alone a guy. 

At least he thinks it's a guy.

Alec shakes his head of his trailing thoughts as he unbuckles the man and pulls him from the seat. He hooks his arm under the other man's, his other hand going to his oppiside side, and he drags him across the street and to safety. 

As they collapse on the grass, the wire finally gives way, hitting the vehicle in bright sparks and louder sizzling noises that leave no room for imagination on what would happen had Alec not done what he just did.

Alec collapses on the ground as the adrenaline starts to fade. His chest is heaving in desperate gulps of air and he lazily turns his head to the man laying next to him. The sun is hitting the man's highlights in just such a way that it looks like the man is modeling, not passed out from an accident. There's a purplish mark on his forehead, either a mishap with makeup or the cause of his unconsciousness. Alec slowly reaches over to move a stray hair out of the way.

The guy was kinda cute; in a pop star sort of way. Alec laughs. He just had a near-death situation and all he can do is think about how cute the rescued man looks. 

Adrenaline did funny things to a person, he decides as he finally hears the faint wails of the sirens.

 

Paramedics take the man away while a grumpy policeman takes Alec's statement. They have to have the electric company come to fix the wires before a tow truck can remove the wreckage. Alec gets a little frustrated after having to repeat himself three times for each department but he forces his usually polite smile and is eventually allowed to excuse himself back to his house.

 

"Wait until Jace and Izzy hear about that," he muses to himself as he makes himself a cup of coffee. "And they said nothing ever happened in the country."

As he goes to bed that night, he idly wonders if the handsome driver will be okay. He didn't look too bad to Alec, but he was just a mechanic. He could take any engine apart and put it together, but when it came to people he knew nothing at all.

He falls asleep thinking of red highlights and mysterious strangers.

 

\---

 

A week later, Alec is arms deep in Mr. Dough's tractor when a black Mercedes pulls up in his driveway. He clasps the hose tightly before pulling his arms out as the driver gets out of the vehicle. It's the man from the accident, he realizes as he grabs a random rag to wipe his greasy hands. 'Wonder what he's doing here?'

"Good afternoon!" the man smiles at him with a small wave. He's wearing just as much makeup as he was when Alec last saw him, but with a different color eyeshadow and no highlights. "Are you the owner of this establishment?"

'Establishment?' Alec turns to look at his own sign that he knows is there, then he looks back to the man. "Yeah? How are you feeling?"

"So you ARE the man," the stranger looks relieved as his smile gets a little bit bigger. "I got the address from my tow truck bill, but I wasn't sure who I was looking for in particular." He bites the edge of his lip as he looks Alec over. "You are the man who saved my life, are you not?"

"I pulled you out of your car, yeah," Alec nods. "You shouldn't have been driving so fast. Something I'm sure you know now, right?"

"Why live life if you can't do it dangerously?" the man laughs a little. "Do you save every wayward damsel in distress, or was I a special case?"

"If your asking whether or not I've saved anyone else, I'm going to have to say no. You're the first."

"Oh, lucky me," the man wiggles his eyebrows as he walks closer to Alec. "But I'm being rude. Apologies. I'm Magnus Bane."

"Alec," the mechanic looks at his still black hands and grimaces. "I don't think you want to shake my hand at the moment."

"No, not that I mean to be any ruder of course," Magnus looks at the dirt with a touch of distain. "Maybe we could talk inside your lovely little cottage?"

"It's not a cottage," Alec laugh as he leads the way to the house. "I was just about to make lunch. You hungry?"

Magnus's face takes on a strange expression, "Famished."

 

Alec thoroughly washes his hands before making the pair of them grilled ham and cheese. He pairs it with coffee and Magnus smiles at him in appreciation as he places the food on the table.

"Good looking and handy in the kitchen?" Magnus smiles, one hand propped up on the table to hold his head. "You must be taken."

"N-No, I'm still single," Alec clears his throat as his cheeks heat up. He pulls his mug to his face in an attempt to hide behind it. "You, uh, taken? Dating, or, whatever?"

"You know, I am actually also unattached at the moment," Magnus pulls his head off his hand in mock surprise. "What a lovely coincidence that the two of us would be bachelors?"

"Yeah...coincidence..." Alec takes a rather large bite of his sandwich as he looks away from the man on the other side of his table. Was Magnus flirting with him? Or was he just overly friendly? What if Alec asked him if he was gay and the guy got offended? Although, with THAT much makeup, he can't possibly be straight. He's got to be at least Bi...Right?

"What I wouldn't give to know what was going on in that gorgeous head of yours."

Alec nearly chokes. He still has to cough through the itch in his throat and guzzles down half his coffee to try to clear his airways.

"I know this is a little forward, but what do you say to me taking you out in thanks for saving my life?" Magnus puts his hand atop the table and slowly inches it over to Alec's hand. "I can show you the most amazing things."

"I-I, uh," Alec clears his throat as he looks at his cup. "Coffee! I need-I need more coffee. One minute-Hold that thought. I'll-I'll be right back."

The mechanic leaps from his chair with his much and curses his house for the first time for his kitchen being so close to the dining room. He had barely taken three steps before he was at the coffee machine. He drew out pouring a cup of coffee for as long as he could as he breathed through his wildly beating heart.

He had never felt this way about anyone. Even his small crush, Lydia, from High School didn't make his heart flutter with every look sent his way from Magnus. Was he having a heart attack? Should he call his doctor and schedule an appointment?

The coffee overflows, making Alec shout out in pain from the heat and shock as he desperately snatches a towel to clean up the mess.

"Everything alright in here?" Magnus's voice is right behind Alec and he jumps away from the man, spilling coffee all over the front of his clothes. 

Alec curses as he looks over the new mess. Why was he still holding the coffee cup?

"My, my," Magnus is smiling. "Did I do that? So sorry, Alec. Let me."

Magnus saunters closer to Alec, slips the towel out of the taller man's loose grip and dabs at the front of the mechanic's coveralls.

"Th-Thanks," Alec hates his stammer. He really wants it to stop, but every time he opens his mouth to speak the stammer comes with it.

"Not a problem," Magnus smiles, reaching up to dab at the mechanic's face. "You're going to have to take those off."

Alec stares at the man as his temperature skyrockets. "Wha?"

"Your clothes. They're covered in coffee," the other man adds. "That can't be comfortable. Do you want me to..." he looks Alec up and down appreciatively. "Help with that too?"

Alec shakes his head when his voice decides not to work anymore. He slowly walks around Magnus before purposely walking back to his bedroom. 

 

As he leans against the locked door, Alec looks down at his hand still holding the stupid coffee cup.

"Crap."

 

Alec leaves the cup in his bathroom sink and quickly changes into fresh clothes. He doesn't' bother with his spare coveralls. There's no way he'll be able to focus on tractor engines now. When he gets back to the kitchen, it's clean of any coffee spills and Magnus is sipping from his mug looking picture perfect with the afternoon sun shining through the open drapes and bathing him in light.

Alec just stares at him for a long time. When the man finally turns to him, he loudly clears his throat as he gets back into his chair.

"Much better," Magnus smiles at him as he puts his cup down. "Not that you weren't adorable covered in America's caffeine fix."

"Magnus," Alec clears his throat again with it threatens to close. "You-are you?"

"I'm a lot of things, gorgeous," the other man winks. "You'll have to be more specific."

"Were you being serious before? About...taking me out?"

"Oh, YES," Magnus leans forward to reach for Alec again. "If you want, we can go right now. In my car outside. I'll even let you drive."

He doesn't know why that turns him on, but it does. Alec has to look away and think of all the different model cars he used to have lined up in his bedroom as a child in order to calm his body down.

"Is that a yes?"

Alec turns back to the man. Magnus is looking a little unsure of himself, his smile becoming more forces as he pulls back his hands. Panic spikes in Alec's chest, his body taking on a will of his own as he reaches out to grab one of Magnus's hands. 

"No! Yes! I mean, yes," Alec smiles nervously. "Yes, I'd love to go out with you. As in, wait, is this a date? It's not, right?"

"I was aiming for that, yes," Magnus covers Alec's hand with his free one. "Unless....You're not interested?"

"I am," Alec states quickly. He's starting to get used to the high temperature his body was determined to remain at. "But...right-right now?"

"Unless you'd rather give me a tour of your bedroom?" Magnus offers with a wolfish grin.

"You should probably drive," Alec pull his hands back quickly. He's starting to sweat now and he doesn't want to gross the other man out. "I-I'll just go...get...my coat."

"You do that," Magnus smiles as he stands with the mechanic. "I'll be waiting outside."

Alec nods a harder than he should as he walks backwards back to his bedroom.

He finds his phone and grabs his keys before grabbing the leather jacket Izzy told him was a 'go to' choice for any date.

 

Date. He was going on a date! With a complete stranger? What was wrong with him?

Alec peeks out his bedroom window to catch sight of the man waiting outside. Magnus must be posing on purpose. There's no way a man could look that good without purposely trying!

He swallows thickly as he looks at his phone.

Should he send his siblings a text? At least Izzy? Maybe get some last minute advice? At least let them know just in case Magnus ends up being a killer?

Alec shakes his head. He had no reason to think that way. People left with other people they met in bars all the time. Right? That's how it worked in movies at least.

 

In the end, Alec sends a text to both siblings before rushing out of the house to Magnus.

"I was going to make a comment about time, but," the other man grins. "You're more than worth the wait."

Alec nervously smiles at his date as he walks over to the passenger side door. "Uh, thanks."

Magnus gets in at the same time and starts the engine with a hum.

He turns to Alec, "Just wait until you see what I have in store for you, Alec."

Alec swallows down his excitement as he looks away.

He was falling fast for this guy. Izzy will be so excited.

He holds back a laugh. Hopefully Jace won't try to kill Magnus.

\---

**Author's Note:**

> So, I was going to work today when I saw this battered old sign that said, "Alec Mechanics"  
> Then this was born.
> 
> *[Give it to me nicely. This needs more, right? But don't ask for 'smut' I can't do that.]
> 
> I am legally inclined to state I own nothing.


End file.
